ACHE Honors EdD Program Innovation

The University of La Verne’s forthcoming Doctor of Education (EdD) in Educational Leadership program has been honored with the 2025 Association for Continuing Higher Education (ACHE) Distinguished Program Award. This prestigious honor recognizes programs that demonstrate innovation, creativity, impact, success, and adaptability in higher education.

This national recognition highlights the program’s distinctive structure, which integrates a dynamic online curriculum with an in-person summer intensive. Designed to cultivate transformative leadership in TK-12 education, the program equips educational leaders with the skills, knowledge, and strategies needed to drive meaningful, lasting change in schools and communities.

A key feature of the program is its dissertation in practice approach (DiP), which enables students to apply research directly to real-world challenges in education. The DiP empowers students to tackle pressing issues in schools, districts, and educational organizations by developing practical, evidence-based solutions that drive meaningful change. The program also provides mentorship opportunities with experienced educational leaders, ensuring that students develop both research expertise and leadership skills.

LaFetra College of Education is proud to launch this innovative program, with the first cohort set to begin this summer.

ACHE, an organization dedicated to promoting lifelong learning and excellence in continuing higher education, encourages professional development, research, and the exchange of information among colleges, universities, and individuals. 

To learn more about the EdD in Educational Leadership program, visit: https://education.laverne.edu/educationalleadership/